Blue Notes: Alexander Steen has three goals and one assist in four games against his former team. David Backes has four goals and three assists in his last six against Toronto. Ryan Miller has faced the Maple Leafs more than any other goaltender in the League since 2005-06. Miller is 31-15-3 against Toronto with a 2.46 GAA and a .922 save-percentage. The Blues have points in eight consecutive games at Air Canada Centre.

Season series: This is the second and final game between these cross-conference teams. The St. Louis Blues defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-3 on Dec. 12, thanks to a three-goal first period. The Blues are 4-0-2 in the past six games against the Maple Leafs, with the last regulation loss to Toronto occurring on Feb. 6, 2007.

Big story: The Maple Leafs have gone cold at the worst possible time of the season, mired in a five-game losing streak and just barely holding on to the final Stanley Cup Playoff berth in the Eastern Conference. The Blues did not play Saturday, but clinched a playoff berth Saturday with a loss by the Phoenix Coyotes. St. Louis is battling the red-hot Boston Bruins for most points in the League, with hopes of capturing its second Presidents' Trophy in franchise history.

Team Scope:

Blues: St. Louis is 9-2-1 in its past 12 games and is heading to the playoffs for a third consecutive season. The Blues are among the most well-balanced teams in the NHL with an average of 3.1 goals a game, boasting a lineup featuring four players with at least 20 goals, along with a 2.21 goals-against average on the defensive side. But veteran coach Ken Hitchcock insists their strong scoring corps is not the reason they've been so successful.

"You don't control the hockey game with offense, you control it with checking," Hitchcock said following his team's optional practice Monday in Toronto.

Maple Leafs: Toronto goaltender Jonathan Bernier (groin) was sidelined throughout the five-game losing streak, but he and defenseman Paul Ranger (neck) participated in practice Monday. Both players are questionable when the Blues come to town Tuesday.

The Maple Leafs surrendered 19 total goals with backup goaltender James Reimer in net for the entire cold stretch, but Bernier is not rushing a return to game action. It was hoped Bernier would play at the New Jersey Devils this past Sunday, but he sustained a setback in an intense practice Friday.

"It's too early to say if I'm coming back [Tuesday]," Bernier said Monday. "I don't want to rush and be out another four or five days."

Who's hot: Blues left wing Jaden Schwartz had a goal and two assists in the previous game against Toronto this season. … Maple Leafs right wing Phil Kessel is in the midst of a three-game point streak with two goals and one assist.

Injury report: Blues right wing Vladimir Tarasenko (hand) is out, while center Derek Roy (lower body) missed the game Sunday. … Maple Leafs coach Randy Carlyle said Monday that Bernier was continuing to progress, but there was no guarantee of a return to the lineup Tuesday for Bernier or Ranger.

Well, I'm going to be a bit late for this one since it starts at 5:00 MST, and I get out of work at 5:00 MST.

OH WELL. GO BLUES!

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We dominated the majority of this game, slacked off a bit in the 3rd. Luckily they were able to recover (thanks to an empty net) before it was too late. 2 points is 2 points though, so I'll take that.

I thought Bernier was great early on. He kept this game from getting way worse.

So we finish the road trip 2-2, which isn't terrible. If you go all the way through the month of March, we were 8-2 on the road, which is great. Now we get 5 straight at home and I'm hoping that we can keep reeling off wins and get closer to that division title. Min, Dal, Phi, Buf, Col. All beatable teams.

We dominated the majority of this game, slacked off a bit in the 3rd. Luckily they were able to recover (thanks to an empty net) before it was too late. 2 points is 2 points though, so I'll take that.

I thought Bernier was great early on. He kept this game from getting way BETTER.

So we finish the road trip 2-2, which isn't terrible. If you go all the way through the month of March, we were 8-2 on the road, which is great. Now we get 5 straight at home and I'm hoping that we can keep reeling off wins and get closer to that division title. Min, Dal, Phi, Buf, Col. All beatable teams.

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